FASTrack Learning Community
FASTrack: Foundations of Academic Success Track

Classes

What are FASTrack classes?

FASTrack core classes include Writing 101 (on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) and EDHE 105: The Freshmen Year Experience (on Tuesdays and Thursdays). Classes are small, limited to 20 students, and linked by FASTrack cohorts where students see the same classmates daily during their first semester. So, FASTrack students connect quickly! Often, our students form informal study groups, easily work together on class projects, and meet their closest college friends in FASTrack.

Each FASTrack cohort has a professional Academic Mentor and an experienced student leader who assists students individually, guiding them through their first year.

“Having the same people in three classes was great because if I ever needed help or didn’t know an assignment, I always had a classmate to ask.” –FASTrack student

 

How do my FASTrack courses work?

FASTrack students are placed into cohorts. Each cohort takes 3 linked classes together during the fall semester. Additionally, FASTrack students will take general education and major course requirements to maintain full time schedules.

FASTrack Fall Semester

  1. WRIT 101 (Required): First-Year Writing I – Prepares students to write in college by focusing on writing as a process for a variety of contexts and audiences. Develops information literacy, awareness of conventions, skills of inquiry, exploration, and argumentation. Includes multimodal writing presented in ePortfolios.
  2. EDHE 105 (Required): First Year Experience – Designed to help first-year students adjust to the university, develop a better understanding of the learning process, acquire essential survival skills, and begin the major/career exploration process. The course also introduces students to the mission, values, and constituencies of a comprehensive public university, and to ethical and social concerns affecting its functioning.
  3. FASTrack students are enrolled into 1 Social Science Elective from below based on their major:

PSY 201: General Psychology – Introduction to individual development, motivation, emotion, motor function, sensory and neural functions, intelligence, learning, perceiving, thinking, social behavior, and personality.

SOC 101: Introductory Sociology – Concepts and methods necessary for studying society.

 

FASTrack Fall Semsester Optional Courses:

HST 131 (Optional): Introductory to US History Since 1877 – Introduction to political, cultural, social, and economic development of the US since 1877.

SPCH 102 (Optional): Fundamentals of Public Speaking – Fundamentals of organizing, preparing, and delivering speeches in a variety of public forums.

 

FASTrack Spring Courses

WRIT 102 (Required): First-Year Writing II – Writing processes, skills on inquiry, exploration, and argumentation, with special emphasis on research, information literacy, and writing for a variety of contexts and audiences. Includes multimodal writing presented in ePortfolios.

EDLD 120 (Optional): Introduction to Leadership Studies  – This class broadens the student’s recognition of his or her ability to affect the community. Emphasis is on personal identity, the development of leadership skills, and the development of confidence in self and in relationships. In addition, students will continue to build community and gain in-depth knowledge about the University of Mississippi and foster effective habits that will lead to academic success and personal fulfillment. Through writing and verbal assignments, various readings, and classroom discussions, students will develop practical skills for college and will begin thinking critically about life after college.